Aluminum contamination of parenteral nutrition and aluminum loading in children on long-term parenteral nutrition.

Background: Children who are receiving parenteral nutrition are at risk of aluminum overload, which may contribute to such side effects as osteopenic bone disease. The aim of the present study is to determine the aluminum contamination of parenteral nutrition solutions and their components, and to assess the aluminum status of children on long-term parenteral nutrition.

Methods: Aluminum concentrations were determined by graphite furnace absorption spectroscopy in components and in final parenteral nutrition solutions. The urinary aluminum excretion and plasma aluminum concentration were determined in 10 children on long-term parenteral nutrition.

Results: The mean aluminum concentration in the administered parenteral nutrition solutions was 1.6 +/- 0.9 micromol x l(-1)(mean +/- standard deviation (SD)). The resulting mean aluminum daily intake of the 10 patients was 0.08 +/- 0.03 micromol x kg(-1) x day(-1).

Conclusions: Compared to two previous studies performed in 1990 and in 1995 in our hospital, the aluminum contamination of parenteral nutrition solutions and the daily aluminum intake of the children seemed to decrease. However, the plasma aluminum concentration and daily urinary aluminum excretion of the children still remain above normal standards. The children had no clinical symptoms of bone disease but aluminum accumulation in tissue can not be excluded. To prevent this iatrogenic toxicity, the aluminum contamination of parenteral nutrition should be assessed regularly.